One Month After
by Inao Yuuri
Summary: I realized that I can't complete this. Ever. And this was my second fic, so it's pretty bad as it is. but I will keep this online anyway. *bows* I'm very sorry.
1. Rival

Disclaimer: This story is set one month after the end of the Slam Dunk Manga and the "10 days after" special. If you didn't read it then this will probably like, spoil everything, since this is set one month after the game against Sannoh, and you will have to know what happened to fully understand this fanfiction. Well…ah, and then: This fic will be HanaRu/RuHana(where's the difference? O.O) so if you are against Shounen Ai (BoyxBoy) then please don't read the fic….

Since the first Chapter is pretty long and most of it is a prologue, the interesting things haven't started…Yet! *nyahahahaha!!!*

So…let's begin!!

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One month. Did already one month pass ? Rukawa couldn't believe it. Just one month ago, Shohoku from Kanagawa had played in the second round of the National Highschool Tournament against Sannoh and won. Shohoku had a hard time getting to the nationals, because every team they played against was definitely strong.

But to Rukawa this wasn't enough. In spite of being just a first year he was already called "Superrookie" or "Shohoku's Ace". He wanted more, he wanted to get better, that's why he asked Anzai-sensei if he could go to his answer was "no". Anzai-sensei told him, that he could do that after he got the best highschool player in Japan, and that he still wasn't better than Sendoh...Sendoh, that bastard.

Just thinking of that arrogant brush-head pissed him off. As if Sendoh could beat him! But there was still something that was more annoying than him. Or, to be clearer, someone. That do' ahou Sakuragi! Even though they had won the second game in the nationals, that idiot hurt his back and was "Poff!", gone !

Woah, that shocked him when Sakuragi said "Player's life has ended"....and of course he had to say something stupid like "that is, if I am just a normal citizen (like him!)" *pointed at Rukawa*

That bitch! Anyway, thanks to that they had lost in their 3rd game.

That's right, he was a do' ahou, an arrogant, conceited bastard who had way too much groundless confidence and called himself a tensai (tensai=genious), yes, but still...even though he started basketball just a while ago, he was now an irreplaceable player to Shohoku.

And the speed at which he was learning things was also way too fast. But Sakuragi was always bragging about beating Rukawa.

_Hmpf! Don't you dare to get too cocky, do' ahou ! I will never let you beat me, beginner! _

The only good thing that happened was, that Rukawa got to go to the All-Japan training camp and got to play one-on-one against some pretty good basketball players. But somehow...something was missing. After the training camp he went back to Shohoku, but the 3rd year students Akagi, Kogure and Mitsui couldn't come to practice that often anymore.

Sad but true, it was their last year at Shohoku, and they had to prepare for college. The one that regretted it the most was probably Mitsui. Because he didn't play for 2 years, he lost a lot of time. Before he came to Shohoku, Mitsui was the superrookie, being the junior high MVP. Honestly, Rukawa thought that what happened was a shame. If he had continued playing at that time, Rukawa may now have had a a good rival at Shohoku.

Speaking of rivals...in the last game the Ahou played somehow...amazing. Pretty good for that idiot who started basketball only 5 months ago, even Rukawa had to admit that. And that last pass from him, when he already thought that that's it, wow.

So he must have listened when he told him: "If you don't want to be subbed, then follow me with your life"...somehow...thinking about it now, if it wouldn't have been for that situation that would be something pretty embarrasing to say.

And that jumping-ability was not something you could just obtain. In that way, the idiot may be a little bit of a tensai. But...but only a little !!

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The self-proclaimed tensai Sakuragi Hanamichi was in a real bad mood right now. He was sitting on the beach near the hospital he was in right now because of the injury he got at the match Sannoh VS. Shohoku in the 2nd round of the nationals, holding a letter that he got from Haruko-san in his hands. She wrote him a letter at least every week to inform him about what was going on at Shohoku right now.

It seemed that Gori and the others were slacking off! Hmpf! Did they think they could do as they pleased, just because they were 3rd years?!! Pah! The college entrance exams couldn't be that hard now, could they ?

"At least not for the Tensai Sakuragi ! Nyahahahaha! "

But for that cunning fox passing would be impossible, heh! That test subject for long-term insomnia studies would probably sleep in on the exam day or have a bicycle accident on the way to school. That guy was a danger to society, for real ! Hanamichi wondered how Rukawa managed to not have deported somebody with his sleep-driving to the hospital up until now,. ...he had run him over a few times though...ano baka kitsune me! (that stupid fox!!)

Hanamichi had to sigh at that. Thinking about HIM now just made him angrier, because a major part of the letter consisted of Haruko-san writing about Rukawa, and how he finally came back from the All-Japan camp. _She's happy that the kitsune has come back...who needs that stupid fox ? Even if he's not here he's disturbing my and Haruko-sans wonderful correspondence !..._

Why was she even looking at that pale fox! Just because he was pale and had a good figure didn't mean that he was handsome ! _Because...because.......because?..Ah! Because he had a fox-face, hehe! Now, who would prefer a fox over this super-handsome basketman Sakuragi?_ ...Then he realized: _Oh no! Haruko-san does! _No, that couldn't possibly be...He was a tensai, right? He had started basketball just 5 months ago and was...come to think of it, he was not a better player than Rukawa.

Sakuragi had realized in their last game together against Sannoh that Rukawa was in fact a hell of a basketball player. Before, he was not experienced enough to see his real strengh, but as Hanamichi himself got better, he could see the kitsune's abilitys more and more. But he wouldn't lose to that guy! Someday Hanamichi would definitely beat him, no matter the cost!

"If you don't want to be subbed, then follow me with your life!", Rukawa told him in that game...How cocky!, and somehow...cool. No, tensai Sakuragi! Don't give in to that decieving fox magic ! He's just trying to trick you, that cunning fox!

But if this was a trick, it was a pretty cool one though. But...but only a little !

-------

At least Hanamichi would soon be able to get out of the rehab...of course that was because he was the Rehabilitation King! And then he would be able to personally kick Rukawas ass again, hehehe! _That'll be fun !_

A day...only a day left and Sakuragi would be able to return to school and his back would be fully healed! He was really proud of himself that it had healed so fast! When he got the injury he even thought that he might not be able to play basketball ever again, but, thank god, it was healed. Actually he was able to move enough again since last week, but Haruko-san had told him to take his time and come back when he was fully healed.

Even Sakuragi himself didn't want to be that irresponsible to risk his player's life. Thanks to that and the fact that he couldn't play basketball anyway without his body being able to take it, he had stayed here a little longer, Plus, he wanted to make a comeback worthy of a tensai, since he was one afterall. Tomorrow! Tomorrow he'd be able to return to Shohoku! _O tanoshimi!_ (*I'm looking forward to it)

- the next day -

The sun was already high up in the sky, when Hanamichi stepped out of the rehabilitation center. He was feeling like a new man! Throwing his bag over his shoulder, he went on his way back home. He would have enough time to take a detour to the basketball court near his home before going to afternoon practice. Arriving at home, he quickly got ready and went with a basketball in his hand on his way to the court.

It was an unusually hot day although it was already October. Soon he had reached the court. As the sun burnt down on him, he nostalgically looked at the basketball court. Nothing had changed. He thought: Let's hope that I didn't change too... A little bit nervous, he stepped in front of the basket. _Okay..get into the rythm...jump, and throw smooth._

"Alright, let's go!" Jump, and throw! Flying in a loop, the ball went smoothly, right through the middle, in.

"Yoshaa! I can still do it! As espected from the tensai Sakuragi, Nyahahaha!", he laughed and all his nervousness had vanished.

"Idiot", he heard a voice from behind.

Startled he turned to look back, even forgetting to get upset.

"Don't get conceited just after one successful shoot, dou ahou." The only person who talked to him like that was of course none other than him, Rukawa Kaede.

Here he stood, the raven haired, pale, handsome rival of his, looking at him with an annoyed look in his foxy eyes.

"What are YOU doing here, Kitsune?", Hanamichi hesitatingly asked.

"Obviously I came to practice, until I saw an idiot taking up the court.", he said in his usuall monotone voice.

"Why,you! Teme!"

"Just take it easy for a while."

"Hehehe, sorry to disappoint you, but I'm 100% alright, because I'm the Recovery King. Nyahahaha! Don't compare me to commoners like you, Rukawa!"

_There he goes again._ "....do' ahou."

"Throw already.", Rukawa said.

"What?"

"Throw some, instead of bragging. We don't have much time left till we have to go to practice."

"..Dont order me around.", he told him and and threw another one that bounced off the basket. _Damn_ he thought, and turned to look at the Kitsune. He didn't say anything and just stared at him, before starting to dribble to the basket and throw a lay-up shoot that, of course, went straight in.

"....."

"Like I said, take it easy, do' ahou."

"Grrr...!" Hanamichi got angry. That baka Kitsune was beginning to seriously piss him off, but the thing that pissed him off most was, that the Kitsune had the right to say that. It was true that Sakuragi wanted to beat him in basketball, but right now he was obviously not better than him. He had lost to the fox, in more than one way. What pissed him off wasn't only his own failure, it was Rukawas success. His form was perfect, and Rukawa had something that drew everyone's attention at him. If it wasn't for that, he wouldn't have that large of a fanclub.

On contrary to this was Sakuragi, the "Most Rejections Recieved in Middle School" all-time champion. Unlike Rukawa, he just couldn't win the heart of Haruko-san. That bastard had it all for himself. Lucky that he wasn't interested in her, giving Sakuragi an indirect chance to win her back from him.

Rukawa who had noticed that Hanamichi hadn't said and done anything, while he had continued his shooting practice, turned at him.

"Don't let one missed shoot discourage you. Here..", he said and threw a ball towards Hanamichi, who suddenly broke free from his thoughtful state and caught the ball.

".....", a little bit asleep at the wheel he looked back at Rukawa. If only he could win against him! It was aggravating! Now fully concentrated he dribbled near the basket and, with an astounding high jump, slammed the ball into the basket. A "Slam Dunk", and a good one on top of that.

Rukawa couldn't take off his eyes from him at that moment. _So he can still do it afterall_, he thought and sighed obviously out of reliefment. _He must be alright then..._

Not knowing why he had these thoughts, he continued watching the do' ahou who turned around and said: "That is a slam dunk of a tensai! Better remember it, Kitsune!"

_If that idiot only would stop getting conceited after every single thing he did!._..Rukawa thought and sighed again. "Come on, let's go, or we'll be late..."

"I get it..", the redhead said a little bit disappointed. What was that? Did the do' ahou actually care about his opinion? Whatever, now was not the time to think of such things...they had to get to the basketball practice...

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Hi, here's Yuuri! Thank you for reading it up until now…I know, you must be bored. The interesting part is still coming and like you probably already noticed, I'm writing it a bit lenghy. I hope that you won't get bored of it just yet. By the way, I hope that this will be the first fanfiction I'll successfully complete. I hope that my „No, I don't wanna anymore, I'm too lazy!" attack won't come that fast.

A request to You, please write a review, even if it's just two words. I really want to know how you think of it. Btw, I'm not a native English speaker…hell I wasn't ever in a country where you spoke it, so please tell me if you find any mistakes, in spelling or grammar. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks and see you next time!

Inao Yuuri


	2. Victory

HEYA! Sorry there that it took me so long! (And I wrote most of it today XD) but I didn't have any school , so I didn't write further notes on this, this week. And I didn't read through this now…will do that sometime later, so there can be a lot of mistakes. If you find some, please don't hesitate to tell me! This will be updated!

Okay…let's go!

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It was not a long way to school, but they hadn't spoken at all while walking there. Sakuragi was walking before Rukawa, who had stared at his back for the whole time. He had noticed that, but didn't say anything even though he felt bothered, or something more like restless by it. Watching if his injury was really healed, Rukawa finally broke the silence:"They were waiting."

"What?"

"Miyagi, Mitsui, Gori and the others. They were waiting for you to come back.".

Surprised to hear this from Rukawa, he said:"Well it's obvious that they were missing me...since I'm the tensai."

"Do' ahou, stop your stupid tensai-thing already."

"What? Is the almighty Rukawa here jealous?"

"I'm not jealous, I'm annoyed by your idiocy!"

And with these last words, they had walked silently to the school gym. Just as he wanted to go into the building, Rukawa halted to look back at Sakuragi. The ahou had stopped and stood a few feet away from him, staring at the building and listening to these nostalgic sounds. *Dam, dam* The sound of basketballs bouncing up, the squeaking of shoes over the ground and footsteps.

*Whop*, a ball had landed in the basket. One month...one month he had not played basketball.

An almost painfull smile crept over Sakuragi's face. "Thank god...". Watching all this, Rukawa could understand him.. If he had been in his place, getting injured and not being able to play for a month, he would probably make the same face. But....wait a sec, Kaede! What are you sympathizing with the do' ahou?! It won't do you any good....

But even though his pride got in the way, he couldn't help telling Sakuragi, because of the face he made:

" I already told you not to worry. Now come on in.".

He opened the door and saw that some of them had already started with the warm-up exercices. Miyagi, who was the Captain now, was dribbling the ball skillfully through his legs, stepped quickly back, feinted to the left, and passed Mitsui easily.

"Hey, since when do you get so serious for the warming-up?", Mitsui pouted.

"I'm the Captain now, I'm always serious.", another sentence meant to impress Ayako.

*BAM*

"Oww! What was that for Akagi?!!"

"You're only the Captain when I'm not here, idiot.".

Heh, Hanamichi thought, so Gori was angry that he couldn't be there that often.

"Hey, look who's there!", Miyagi pointed at the entrance. Everyone looked there, where Rukawa and Hanamichi just walked in.

"Sakuragi-kun!!!", a clear bright voice called out happily. Haruko-san, who was now wearing manager-clothes and looked a bit more grown-up was smiling at Sakuragi and and ran to them to embrace him. "I'm so glad you're back!" she said in his arms. Surprised and overly happy, he blushed and thought:_ Ahh~Haruko-san is embracing me! Can I hug her back ? Can I? Can I ?_. Akagai, shocked at the actions of his sister, made a face like he had lost the nationals right now. It seemed that Haruko was beginning to fall in love with Sakuragi. The others were also pretty surprised at this.

The only one looking composed with his poker-face was Rukawa, who walked further into the hall and picked up a ball from the ground. Somehow only one word flew through his brain in infinite repeating right now: _Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill ,killkillkillkillkill..._Turning his back at the group, he finally let his face loose, glaring as annoyed as he was at the basket.

That stupid woman should just let go already of that do' ahou right now! Why was she hugging him anyway?_ I thought she was in love with ME._ _And anyway, Sakuragi is chasing after ME, so he's MINE.....wait, WHAT?! What's that...mine?_ Completetly shocked at his own thoughts, Rukawa kept staring....What had he just thought? He wanted Sakuragi for himself...no...Sakuragi was his? Wha-

Then suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by Kogure, who walked in. "Sorry, I'm late!". Catching sight of the red-headed boy, he looked surprised and said with a smiling face to Sakuragi:"So you were coming back today? It's good to see you so soon.".

Rukawas thought being interrupted, he turned to everyone again. Haruko-san had finally let go of the do' ahou and HE was just smiling like an idiot.

"Nyahahaha, so you missed this tensai! Well I wanted to surprised you, so I asked Haruko-san to keep it a secret that I was coming back so soon..-"

*Whack*

"Oww! What are you doin' , Gori!"

"Next time tell us...", Akagi just replied.

Right now, Hanamichi was happy...really happy. He had finally the feeling that he really was back, and it seemed that they had missed this tensai too. And he was the same. All the time while he was in the rehabilitation centre he had thought of them, thought of going back and win the nationals with them, with Gori, Mitchi, Ryo-chin and the Kitsune!

The kitsune...even though he was annoying as hell, it was somehow good to see him again. Stupid fox...he really HAD to go on his nerves, didn't he? But still...there is something about him that is just...captivating. Hanamichi turned to him and looked at him.

Rukawa looked back, also thinking: _That idiot...he draws people to himself and even if you don't like him, when you see him play on the on the court, you start to root for him. I don't know why, but I want him to get better...I won't let him ever beat me though._

"Huh?", the person in question was staring at him and he couldn't help staring back...it turned out as a glare though.

Not knowing what was going on, Haruko-san asked:"Sakuragi-kun, is something wrong?"

"No...it's nothing.", he said and quickly turned around. What was wrong with him? Staring, no, being all captivated by the raven-haired boy...Ever since their last game he had though a lot about Rukawa. HE, was Hanamichi's reason to play basketball. Chasing after him was, what made Hanamichi what he is today.

It's true that Hanamichi first joined the basketball club to get near to Haruko-san, but ever since that incident at the rooftop, he hadn't liked that Rukawa-guy. And who would have thought that he also just joined the club?! He was skilled, indeed, but at that time, Hanamichi couldn't even guess Rukawas potential. Basketball had been nothing to him and as a beginner, he couldn't see the true greatness of it. But now, he saw...saw, knew how fun it was to play basketball, saw how perfect Rukawa was. And it annoyed him! He didn't want to run after Rukawa forever, that's why he had sworn, he wouldn beat him! One day he would.

"Okay...everybody ready? Let's begin then!", Akagi said, ending their conversation.

As everyone assembled, Hanamichi got a bit nervous again. While passing, Rukawa saw this on his face, but doing something was not possible..this time his pride had stopped him. Risking a glance at his archrival, Sakuragi prepared himself for the following.

_You can do it, Sakuragi Hanamichi! Don't be nervous, don't give in to the fear and the most important thing...don't lose to the damn Kitsune! That's it, I have to fight him...have to win against him! Feelings of sympathy for the fox...what a waste! Oookay! Let's do this, tensai!_ Having preparted himself mentally, he awaited the orders.

Suddenly looking towards him, Akagi asked "Is it really alright for you to do this? What did the doctors say?"

"They said that I was fully healed.", he replied energetic.

"Don't be scared, Gori! Hehe, the truth is I was healed one week ago, but I stayed a bit longer to be completely sure, and now I'm 100% okay!"

Akagi seemed pleased by these assuring words and continued:"Alright, then let's do a bit of shooting practice. Run around in circles and take turns throwing!".

Alright, thought Sakuragi, easy task. Running with some other people he took a ball and then, suddenly was pulled back. "W-woah! Who..?" Looking into a pair of black, piercing eyes he was puzzled.

"Kitsune?!!"

Sighing, the fox said:"Calm down already. Just do it like you did it in the nationals..."

"Huh?", the tensai was puzzled.

"I mean throwing, THROWING, do' ahou."

"Yeah, I get that, what I don't get is why you are telling me this. And who are you calling a do' ahou, baka kitsune ?!"

"Haa~", sighing again, Rukawa decided to let him go and run towards his disaster. _That annoying idiot._

Dribbling, he went near the basket, jumped and shoot. And the ball went in perfectly. A little bit confused, Sakuragi stood at that place for a bit, looking at his own hand, making a fist. _Strange_...something about that just now was strange. That cunning fox...what he had said. Why did he say that? And before too...it almosted seemed, like Rukawa was concerned about him. That didn't make sense. They were always fighting, and they were rivals. Rukawa should just let him be and then...he said something like that. "Really strange..."

"Hey! Sakuragi, you're blocking us! Move, move! No slacking off!", Ryochin shouted.

Waking up from his trance-state he finally started to practice...and everything went smoothly. When he threw, it went straight in. His form was superb, like it had been before...just like that! How much he may have been a tensai, even Hanamichi didn't think that it would go so well that fast. And the remaining practice did go well too! He concentrated on his back, but no pain came. Nothing, it was just like before.

"You're sighing really a lot, Sakuragi...relieved?", a sly grinning Mitsui asked.

"You seem to be alright...", Mitsui was dribbling and going backwards "..but if you don't pay enough attention.." going to the 3 point zone, he threw, and the ball went in. "..you'll be pulling on our legs, as usually."

"Mitsui!", an angry Ayako was calling.

"Haha, pulling on your legs ? Shouldn't it be the other way round? Just YOU pay attention that you don't pull me down. Really...talking as if you were in your best form, but you can't trick this tensais brilliant insight! You haven't been practicing that much lately, huh?"

Ouch...rubbing it in like that. The hurt Mitsui was so depressed over this that he even forgot to shout back. Looking at him, one might have seen some dark cloud hanging over him. Mumbling something, he continued to practice.

Shoot. Sakuragi hadn't thought that it wouldn turn out like that. And he hadn't wished for this. To think that Mitchi was THIS depressed over it..wow. Something aching in his chest, he also resumed it. Until practice ended, everything went smoothly for Sakuragi Hanamichi...one might call it a perfect score. Once again everybody assembled and then they were dismissed.

The moment the words were spoken, an incredible amount of relief came over him. He did it! He really did it! Letting one last sigh, worth a whole year, out, he stayed behind while everyone went to the locker room...

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Question: You think they are IC ? or are they OOC?


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